Kestler faces murder charge

A Thomasville woman accused of injecting an acquaintance with a lethal dose of heroin in May 2013 has been charged with second degree murder and concealment of death.

Mary Allison Kestler, 37, of 625-4F W. 5th St. in Winston-Salem, was taken into custody at the Davidson County Courthouse in Lexington on Jan. 7 while in court for a pending drug charge.

Kestler received a $260,000 secured bond and was placed into the Davidson County Jail. Her court date is scheduled for Jan. 29 in Thomasville.

According to a press release, Thomasville officers at 5:34 p.m. May 28 responded to 1129 W. Holly Hill Road in reference to a reported death. Manuel Estrada, 51, of 1129 W. Holly Hill Road, was found deceased inside the residence. The victim’s vehicle was missing from the scene.

Detectives said investigation revealed that on May 25 Mary Kestler, who at the time was staying in Thomasville, administered a lethal dose of heroin to Estrada, which caused him to fall unconscious and die a short time later.

Kestler did not contact emergency personnel. She fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle.

Estrada was not found three days later on May 28. The vehicle was later recovered.

Detectives said the autopsy report, received in December, indicated the cause of death was morphine toxicity. According to ww.drugabuse.gov, heroin is an opioid drug that is synthesized from morphine.

“Dating back to last summer, we have seen a spike in heroin related overdoses,” said Detective Ross Conover. “In each case, we are going to do our best to investigate it back to the point where we can prove someone else was involved. It is our intent to prosecute those people to the fullest extent of the law.”

A search of recent reports published by the Times reveals that Thomasville police along with Randolph and Davidson sheriff's offices have made headway in heroin cases.

Some of those cases included the following:

In March, that the Davidson County Sheriff's Office seized 70 bags of heroin after a search warrant at 24 King Row.

Based on complaints from neighbors, Thomasville police in May worked with the Randolph County Sheriff's Office to seize a significant amount of heroin from a home on Briarcliff Road, just off N.C. 62.

In July, Thomasville Police Department seized heroin from a home on King Street.

In September, undercover detectives arranged for a delivery of heroin to be made in the area of Council Street and Culbreth Avenue. A chase ensured through Thomasville and High Point, but three suspects were apprehended.

As for the recent report of Kestler, Detective Brad Saintsing said at this point no other information will be released .